Cancer survival rates in Victoria rise
Overall cancer survival in Victoria has increased from 48% in 1990 to 61% in 2004 and from 58% to 61% in the past five years.
The Cancer Council Victoria has released a report Cancer Survival, Victoria 2007, which estimates patient survival in 2004 (and comparisons with earlier periods).
The report shows that over 60% of Victorians diagnosed with cancer will not die from their cancer within five years from their diagnosis and that survival continues to improve with advances in treatment and earlier detection.
The major findings from the report show cancers with highest five-year survival were: testis (99%), thyroid (93%), melanoma (90%), breast (87%), uterus (84%), prostate (84%) and Hodgkin lymphoma (82%).
Cancers with the lowest five-year survival were pancreas (5%), mesothelioma (5%), liver (10%), lung (11%) and cancers of unknown primary site (11%).
